A mother is fighting to keep the killer of her daughter behind bars until he reveals where he buried the body.

Should killers be released from prison before they have revealed the location of their victim or victims? Mum of Helen McCourt, Marie McCourt, 72, thinks not.

Helen was murdered, aged 22 when she was on her way home from work in 1988; pub landlord Ian Simms was tried, found guilty and jailed for life.

In early 2016 Simms is due to go before a parole board which will decide his fate.

Life these days in the UK rarely means life but by that time he will have already served 28 years; Helen McCourt's mother though is serving a life-sentence without parole.

All she wants now is to recover Helen's body and lay her to rest.

Although Simms has always denied killing Helen he was found guilty; the fact that the body was never found has added to the McCourt family tragedy.

Mrs McCourt would like to see a change in the law to prevent murderers being freed from prison if they have not revealed where the body is hidden. To that end she is campaigning for ‘Helen’s Law’ which would mean he, and others, who keep the ‘grave’ of their victims hidden from the World, would remain in jail.

A petition has been launched to demand the law is changed-you can sign "Introduce ‘Helen’s Law': where hiding a body, preventing a burial and obstructing a coroner become criminal offences - with ‘whole life’ tariffs" here.

In August 2012 Winnie Johnson, the mother of one of Moors Murderer Ian Brady’s victims died.

She had campaigned for more than 48 years to find out where her son was buried but died without ever being able to lay her child’s remains to rest. Her son Keith Bennett was just 12-years-old when he was murdered.

Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were jailed for life for the murder of a number of children. Hindley died in hospital though still officially a prisoner in 2002 aged 60. In October 2015 there were reports that Brady is close to death but either way he will die incarcerated.

But Ian Simms, the killer of Helen McCourt could be a free man perhaps licensed on parole next year.

For Helen’s mother Marie there is no parole or early release. The fact she has no idea where her daughter’s body lies and is unable to lay her to rest adds to her torture.

In April 2015 as Simms began his push for freedom Mrs McCourt told the Liverpool Echo after reading a statement at Simms’s parole hearing that morning:

“I want them to realise the crime of taking my daughter’s life is made far worse by the further crime of not disclosing where her remains can be recovered. Mrs McCourt said: “It’s like I’ve had an open wound for all this time that just can’t heal. The process of grieving can’t take place properly.”

Tuesday "A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the independent parole board would “take into account” the killer’s co-operation in finding her body at a hearing in January."

Mrs McCourt believes killers should remain in jail if they will not reveal the location of their victims and who could disagree? Not me.

Update: Supporting Mrs McCourt in her call for Helen's law "'My mum’s killer should have stayed in prison till he told us where her body is'" Daily Mirror

Unless this man reveals where he has left Helen and admits that what he did was wrong, he should not be released. He took away Helen's right to a life when he killed her, he should do the decent thing and give her mum the right to give her a funeral.

Reply

Eileen

16/12/2015 11:14:42 am

The trauma loved ones of victims experience is brutal enough without having the chance to lay them to rest and try in some way to move one.

How many more lives ruined? How many more Winnie Johnsons who died without even this tiny bit of closure.

Do the decent thing Simms or you are not fit to even be considered for parole.

Reply

Hannah

17/12/2015 09:32:47 pm

In my opinion there should never be a parole for any killer.. Also no hallved the sentences.. Either there is justice done or not. Police worked hard to find and convict the criminal and then they get that thrown at them. How must they and the victims' family feel? It would deter some. Also that luxury life in prison should be stopped. They get there more then we on the outside.

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